Headlight



` NOV. 4, 1941. G, TRIPE .HEADLIGHT Filed Dec. 22, 1939 2 sheets-'sheet 1 NOV. 4, 1941. G TRlPPE 2,261,508

HEADLIGHT Filed Dec. 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2v Patented Nov. 4, 1941 y .Y emr-Epl smits'8E T E' El E My invention relates to a new and improved electric headlightwhich may be mounted as a unit but may be readily demounted, disassembled for adjustment or replacements, and quickly reassembled and remounted as-a unit, and to vari- 555 fous novel component parts thereof, including a `new and improved type of fluted lens, an adjustable, auxiliary, flexible reflector and method of adjusting the same, and new and improved means for positioning and securing an electric -lamp in said headlight, for securing and sealing the lens, and for locking the several parts of the headlight as a unit. In addition to the advantages thus indicated, a hea-dlight constructed in the manner described has the important advantage of making possible the production of a composite light 'beam of such distributed intensity and proportions as to illuminate a highway more emcientl'y for travel than has heretofore been done.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are vinherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangements of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

while I have shown therein a preferred ,embodi-y ment, it is to be understood that the same is lsusceptible of modification and change and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front view of the headlight. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Fig. 3 and Fig. llare partial horizontal sections of the lens at 3-3 and 4--4, respectively,

of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken at 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the reflector Il with auxiliary reflector 22 in position. Y'

Fig. 7 is a partial vertical section taken at 1-1 of Fig. 6. f Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a portion of flanged ring 32, showing one of the lugs 33.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of spring member 36.

Fig, 10 is a perspective view of flanged collar I6.

Referring to the drawings, my invention may suitably secured to its shank or base. `lar 'I6 has a crowned or shaped peripheral poribeffdescribed as follows: I provide a suitable, I preferablyparabolic, reflector II having a cenltral opening I2 adapted to receive the base or shankd of an electric lamp, a plurality of asymmetricallyspaced oblique openings I 3, preferablyfangulaLl-'and -a vplurality of spaced obliquey 'openings- I4`,".preferably circular, and suitably disposed about the central portion but below tlfie h r-izontal midsection of said reflector. '-l Seated inthe opening I2 of reflector II, co-axiallytherewith, is a suitable electric lamp I5, hav- :ing-3a filament 2l, and fitted with an annular collar `I6 which may be soldered or otherwise The colstantially in advance of the focal point of said reflector. I

A'fsuitable` auxiliary, preferably flexible and lhalfLpa'rabolic, reflector 22, having an arcuate v indented 'portion'23 vat the central portion of its upper edge, and a plurality of openings 24 suitably. spaced therefrom, is adjustably secured to the reflector I I, co-axially therewith, by means Aof screw's`r25 fitted with helical springs 26 and adapted to engage the openings 24 of the aux- Aili'ary reflectorl 22 and the openings I4 of the reflectorI` I `I'.f positioned and spaced with respect to the axis of'the reflectors II and -22 as to permit adjustment of 'the reflector 22 by vertical tilt, by hori- The openings I4 and 2li are so lzon'taLtilt, by 'distortion or by movement along it's' axis toward or away from reflector Il. This @is accomplished'by adjusting one or more 'of the-screws.25 By such adjustment of the auxiliaryy reflector 22, it is possible to obtain a better `correlati-'on-lof the components of the composite 1 beam projected bythe headlight.

The reflector 22 is of such size and shape and l5, should be approximately in -the horizontal plane of the common axis of the two reflectors, the focal point of the reflector 22 should be approximately coincidental with the filament 2|,

and the refiector 22 should substantially obstruct or black out the entire lower half of reilector H.

Reflector Il, as shown in Fig. 5, is shaped near its periphery so as to provide a seat 21 for an annular gasket 35, and a peripheral rim or guard portion 28 with angular flange 29, adapted to receive the peripheral flanged portion 30a of lens 30. As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 2, a plurality of asymmetrically spaced., circumferentially extending, slots 3| are provided in seat 21 near its outer edge, adapted to receive lugs 33 of flanged annular ring 32, which is designed to fit over the peripheral flange 30a of lens 30 and, when secured as hereinafter stated, to seal the same.

To lock the several parts of the headlight as a unit I have provided, as shown in Figs. 2, and 9, a plurality of spring members 36. These spring members 33 may be of any suitable shape or material. As shown, said spring members 36 are of round wire1 one end 31 thereof being adapted to engage the opening 2D in lugs I9 of collar I6, the other end 38 being adapted to engage the opening 34 provided in the lugs 33 25 of ring 32, and so bent or shaped near the end 38, at 39, 4! and 4! that when applied with the ends respectively engaged as stated, the portion 42 will bear against the outer surface of the reflector li adjacent to the corresponding slot:

3|, as a fulcrum; said spring members 36 exerting a rearward pressure of the order of 50 lbs. each on the lugs 33, and when three such `spring members are applied exerting a total pressure of approximately 150 lbs. against the bearing surface of the lens and effectively sealing the lens against the gasket and locking the parts of the headlight in place; simultaneously the spring members 35 exert a rearward pressure of the order of 5 lbs. each against the lugs i9.

As shown in Fig. 5, the lens 30 may be provided on its reverse peripheral portion with an annular bead or V-ring 41 adapted to engage the gasket 35 for added sealing effect.

As .shown in Fig. l, lens 3o may be provided with a centering lug 43 adapted to engage notch 44 of ring 32 to facilitate assembling the parts of the headlight.

The obverse of lens 30 is preferably convex, with vertical iluting on one side (as shown, the inner side), the fluting 45, 45 of its upper half being of such conformation in relation to that (45, 46) of the lower half of the lens that the horizontal spread of beam of the upper half of the lens will be substantially wider than that of the lower half thereof. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, for example, this result can be obtained by using arcuate flutes of the same radius for both halves of the lens, the upper flutes being of substantially greater width than the'lower flutes; or the upper and lower utes may be of the same width but the upper ones having a vsubstantially smaller radius. It may alsov be ldone in other ways which will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

In a headlight of the type described, by selecting a suitable combination of reilectors and a suitable lens, it is possible to cast a light beam having a substantially sheer flat top with much better distribution of intensity of light throughout its length and spread than has heretofore been obtainable. If, for example, in a headlight for a motor vehicle, suitable reflectors being properly positioned and adjusted, the radius of the upper fluting be approximately one-third that of the lower fluting, while the horizontal spread of beam of the upper half of the lens will be relatively wide, extending in a substantially flat band or ribbon from one side of the highway to the other providing visibility for a comparatively short distance ahead, the horizontal spread of beam of the lower half of the lens will be relatively narrow, and largely restricted to the upper middle third of the horirontal spread of the composite beam projected by the headlight, with the result that the lntensity of the beam is greatly increased directly ahead to provide distant visibility where most needed for safe travel.

Fig. 11 of the drawings shows a horizontal section of a modified form of lens in which ilats 48 are provided between utes 45, 45 and 46, 46. These ats preferably are of a uniform width, not to exceed one-half the Width of the adjacent utes, and extend from the horizontal midsection of the lens 3B to its top or bottom as the case may be, and preferably are located between alternate iiutes but they may be disposed in other suitable order. Provision of the ilats 48 in the manner indicated makes it possible to produce a beam with the highest intensity in the center of the horizontal spread of the composite beam with the desired gradation toward either side.

Having now described my invention,

I claim:

In a headlight, a reflector having a peripheral hanged portion, an annular gasket in said portion, said anged portion having a plurality of circumferentially extending, asymmetrically spaced slots therein, a central opening adapted to receive the base or shank of an electric 4lamp and a plurality of asymmetrically `spacedopenings slightly removed and approximately equidistant Afrom said central opening, an electric lamp adapted to be seated `in said first opening co-axially with said reflector and having an annular flanged portion with a plurality `of rearwardly extending, suitably spaced lugs, respectively adapted to engage said asymmetrically spaced openings in said reflector, and to project therethrough, each of said lugs Vhaving an opening in its outer portion adapted to receive means for locking said lamp in position, a lens having a peripheral flanged portion and adapted to be seated against said gasket in the flanged portion of said reflector, a ring adapted to engage the peripheral portion of said lens and hold it in position against said gasket, said ring having an angular ange with a plurality of asymmetrically spaced lugs laterally projecting from said flange. said lugs being respectively adapted to engage the slots in said reflector and to extend therethrough and having an opening in their protruding portion adapted to receive `means for locking said ring in position, and locking means adapted to engage the openings in both said first mentioned and said second mentioned lugs for securing said parts in position and sealing the face of said headlight against ambient atmosphere. i

GRAHAM TRIPPE. 

